Dead For Now
by Charlysnape
Summary: Set just after the end of season three. Couldn't wait till next summer for season 4 so had to write! :D Eric X Sookie and Sookie X Bill and the rest of the cannon ships. While Bill and Sook aren't on good terms, Eric swoops in but how will it turn out?
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, so I've finally got time to start writing again. I've just got on top of my work at college with spare time to writeee. I've recently gotten into the Sookie Stackhouse novels (don't worry, I still adore Harry Potter above all and will be updating my Drarry fic ASAP) and I've also gotten into the TV show.

I kind of ship Eric x Sookie but I do have to say I love Bill x Sookie.

This story is gonna feature both ships. It's set just after season 3 ended because I don't know about you guys but I'm dying at the idea of having to wait until summer 11 for the next installment. So enjoy the story and R&R :)

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**Chapter One**

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The morning was warm and crisp. Sookie could tell just by looking at the light it was well before noon but well after sunrise. She kicked off Gran's duvet letting her legs reach the air which was cooling on her toasty legs. She yawned and sat up, feeling refreshed, even though she was up early on a Saturday. As she swung her legs of the bed, her cell began to buzz on the unit beside her. She picked up the vibrating cell and saw that "Merlotte's" was calling her. She flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Hello?" She said coarsely, her breath still rough from sleep.

"Hey Sookie, sorry if I woke you." a friendly voice said down the phone.

"Hey Sam, don't worry about it, I'd just woken up" Sookie replied, yawning once again.

Sam was Sookie's boss. He was kind, friendly and mysterious. He was also a shapeshifter. A shapeshifter was someone who can transform themselves into any animal they had imprinted upon. Sookie wasn't really sure what that meant but sometimes Sam would change into a copper and white collie dog.

"I just wanted to make sure you're up to working the one pm shift later, since Daphne…" he said with pain in his voice. Daphne was also a shifter… was. Not long ago, a mysterious woman had shown up to Bon Temps to bail Tara out of her cell after gaining a DUI. She had seemed like an innocent social worker when in fact she had been a Maenad, a worshipper of some god or other. After she caused some what of a disaster in Bon Temps, Sam and Bill finally put an end to her. Daphne had been an unfortunate victim of Maryann's. She'd been found in the freezer at Merlotte's with her heart ripped savagely from her chest which had then later been unknowingly eaten by Tara and her now deceased boyfriend Eggs.

"It's okay Sam really, I can manage the shift." Sookie said soothingly down the receiver.

"I just didn't want to over work you, you had a pretty harsh time in Jackson" Sam said, now comforting Sookie and she gulped. Her vampire boyfriend had been vamp-napped and held hostage at the vampire kings house in Jackson. He'd encountered his maker there and cheated on Sookie after she had spent days trying to save him. After Sookie had staked Lorena who had been ordered to kill Bill, she, Bill, Tara and Alcide (Sookie's Werewolf friend) had dived into the back of Alcide's van and fled Jackson. This had resulted in many more disastrous events, which involved Sookie rescinding all invitations of every vampire she knew.

"Sam, trust me, you're doing me a favour. I need to keep busy. Will Jessica be in, in tonight?" Sookie asked. Jessica was a vampire that Bill had made to save Sookie's life. She was annoying but sweet.

"Yeah she's coming in at sunset. Well I'd better go Sookie; I have to interview some waitresses." Sam said.

"Okay Sam, Thank you" Sookie said quietly.

"Anytime, Sook." Sam said, and the line cut off.

Sookie set down her cell back on the unit and sighed. She jumped out of bed and crossed the hall to the bathroom where she took a long shower, turning the heat down low as the house was already boiling. She then brushed her teeth, applied her make up and took time straightening her medium length blonde hair and tying it up into a neat pony tail, she pulled on her plain white t-shirt that said Merlotte's in green and a pair of black shorts. She quickly checked her phone and saw that it was 11:50 so she grabbed some sandwich stuff from the kitchen, whipped up a ham salad sandwich and drank some of her favourite Ice Tea. By the time she was fed and washed up, it was time she set off to work. She grabbed her cell, purse and keys and headed out to a small, rundown, bright yellow car. She jumped inside and drove through Bon Temps towards Merlotte's bar and grill. As she parked up right outside the bar, she could tell by how packed the parking lot was that it was going to be a busy day. She got out and walked inside.

"Hi Sookie," Hoyt Fortenberry said, waving from the booth nearest the bar. He worked with Sookie's brother Jason. He was tall, brunette and had a kind face. "How is Vampire Bill?" Hoyt was clueless to what had happened between them.

"He's fine" Sookie said awkwardly. "How is Jessica?"

"She's more than fine I hope" Hoyt said, a big smile growing on his face. "We're gonna move in together, so I guess you and Vampire Bill will have that big ole' place all to ya'll selves." He winked. Sookie's stomach sank.

"Oh Hoyt that's- that's really great… it's brilliant in fact, I'm really glad you made up." Sookie said, forcing a smile and turning on her heel towards the bar.

"Hey Sook" Lafayette called from the kitchen.

"Oh hey girl" Tara said, standing up from behind the bar with a crate of Budweiser in her hands. "How you doing?"

"I'm all right, how about you?" Sookie said, reaching across to grasp Tara's dark arm comfortingly.

"I'm doing better than you." She said with a smile.

"I'm just gonna put this in my cubby" Sookie said, as she walked behind the bar and down the corridor into Sam's office. When she walked in, he was sat with a stack of resumes and a large mug of coffee.

"Hi Sam" she said, walking over to her cubby and placing her purse at the back and picking up her waiting apron.

"Hey Sook" he said, not looking up from the bundle of papers.

Sookie walked from the room still tying her apron. She walked from the back and took a seat at the bar. She still had fifteen minutes before her shift started. Tara walked over with a glass of orange juice and set it down in front of her with a bottle of beer.

"So…" Tara said, leaning on the bar across from her.

"So…" Sookie repeated taking a sip from her glass.

"How's Lettie-Mae?" Sookie asked.

"She's… Really happy" Tara said, her mouth twitching into a little smile.

"That's really good" Sookie said.

"Have you spoken to Bill yet?" Tara said.

Sookie looked down at her glass and began tracing the rim with her finger as she felt that sinking feeling again.

"No, I rescinded his invitation."

"'Bout time." Tara muttered.

Sookie frowned at her. "Not all vampires are like Franklin you-"

"Don't mention that dead fucker's name around me!" Tara shouted causing a few of the customers near by to stare.

"Tara!"

"Don't tell me that shit! They're all the same. That crazy ass mother fucker who ripped out that mans spine on live television and that fucking Viking vampire, who held Lafayette prisoner for 3 fucking weeks, Bill who almost drained you dry and Franklin the mother fucking rapist! Don't tell me they ain't the same!" She shouted, slamming down her own drink and standing up.

"Hooker! What's wrong wit' you?" Lafayette called from the kitchen as Tara stormed past. Lafayette gave an apologetic look at Sookie and ran after her.

"Lafayette! I am swamped here!" Terry Bellefleur called hopelessly from the kitchen. He sighed. "Oh hi Sookie" he said walking back into the kitchen to finish cooking. Sookie looked down and fought back tears. Sookie had always had a way of knowing what people thought. Ever since she was born, she'd been able to read minds. Everyone thought she was just telepathic but recently, Bill had told her he had found out what she really was, a fairy. She internally cringed at the thought. It seemed so… lame. Right now, Sookie's head was filled with the thoughts of the people who had just witnessed what happened.

"_-Fucking fangbangers-"_

"_-They're both crazier than a bowl of fruit loops-"_

"_-If only her Gran could see how those Stackhouse kids of hers turned out-"_

Sookie squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on blocking the thoughts out, but they just kept on flooding in. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should head on home" Sam said from behind. "Go and see Jason or something" he said.

Sookie looked up.

"I want to work…" She said.

"Come on, it's only been a few days since you nearly got ripped to pieces by a pack of wolves and vampires, just go and relax and come back tomorrow if you feel up to it." Sam said.

Sookie looked up and frowned as she saw that the majority of the bar was still staring and whispering amongst themselves.

"All right, ya'll finish eating what you paid for!" Sam shouted as he led Sookie by her shoulders into the back.

"Tara will come round" Sam said. "It's not just vampires she's going crazy about." He gave a look as though he was remembering something.

"Who's gonna wait the tables tonight though?" Sookie asked.

"I'll give Arlene a call. Jessica will be in at sun down and I can wait your tables until Arlene shows up."

Sookie put her hand on Sam's stubbly face. "Thank you" she said. She grabbed her things from her cubby and put her face down as she walked back through the bar and out the front door. She half ran to her car, glad to be rid of the wretched thoughts of others seeping through her own. Sookie opened the car door, threw her things onto the passenger seat and got in. She clamped her hands over he mouth and tried very hard to hold back the tears that were very near to spilling. She stuck the keys in her ignition and started the car. She turned around and sped through Bon Temps towards her old house, where Jason, her brother, now lived alone. All she needed right now was family.


	2. Chapter 2

Next installement. It's all about to go down now!

(I don't want the fic to be just all about Sookie, so I'm trying to make it like the show, so you can see the other characters stories :) )

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**CHAPTER TWO**

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Sookie opened her eyes to see that the sun was setting causing Jason's living room to turn a deep orangey colour. She had been come here in an attempt to find Jason just for someone to talk to but she had found the house empty and his bed still not slept in. She had taken a seat on the old familiar sofa to finally let the tears fall. She must have fallen asleep she thought. She sat up and pulled on her sneakers. She wrote a quick note to Jason and attached it to the refrigerator with a magnet, and then she made sure to lock the door on her way out.

As she drove back through Bon Temps to her house, she had no idea what she would do. She didn't want to dwell on things but every time she stopped, something crept through the cracks. She pulled up in the driveway and got out the car, moping towards the house. She took out her ring of keys and proceeded to find her door key with some difficulty considering the sun had set now and her porch was in complete darkness. Sookie dropped her keys onto the welcome mat.

"Shoot" she sighed, bending down to pick them up but as she reached out, a flash of white beat her to it.

"Here" Bill's voice came from the darkness as he separated the correct key from the rest and placed it in Sookie's hand. Anger flared up in Sookie as she looked into Bill's eyes. Even though he was technically dead, she could feel the sadness and despair radiating from him. Sookie averted her eyes and unlocked the door. She stepped inside knowing he could not follow.

"Sookie… I have to talk to you" Bill said calmly over the threshold.

"I have no intention on listening to anything you have to say so you may as well turn around and leave." Sookie said blankly, hooking her keys onto the holder by the door and throwing her purse onto the bottom step of the stairs.

"Sookie please! It's important!" Bill shouted, causing her to jump.

"Fine, talk, I don't wish to invite you in if that's what you're waiting for." Sookie said coldly.

"I require very little of your time" Bill said sadly.

Sookie stared at him for a second before slowly saying, "Come in Bill." She turned around and went and placed herself on the bottom step of the stairs next to her purse.

"How have you been?" He said, his eyes slipping subconsciously to her neck then to the floor.

"Good. I didn't invite you in for small talk, get to the point" She muttered harshly.

"I… I am leaving for a short while" Bill said, walking over to lean against the banister.

Sookie felt a ringing in her ears. Even though she felt she was close to hating Bill, she knew she still loved him… deep down.

"W-why?" She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"I have… business… else where." He said.

"Business? Vampire business?" Sookie asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Where?"

"That is information I can not share with you or anybody" He said, sitting down on the step beside her.

"Do you… have to go?" She said hesitantly, leaning her cheek on his cold shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her but she pulled away.

"Yes, I have to go" Bill said. "Tonight."

"Tonight! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she half shouted as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

He gently stopped one of the tears on his finger and stared at it for a long time before turning back to her, his eyes filled with dark red tears.

"I must leave now." He said, standing up. Sookie stood up too, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

"Know this, Sookie" Bill whispered, "I have and always will love you, even if you do not feel the same." Dark red began streaking its way down his pale face. He kissed her forehead and turned on his heel, speeding from the door and out of sight.

Sookie opened her eyes and sobbed loudly as the warm breeze blew quietly though the open door, not a trace of Bill in sight. She dropped to her knees in the hallway and clawed at the rug as she spiralled into her own misery.

"Sookie!" A distorted voice said. "Sookie! Wake the fuck up!"

Sookie opened her eyes to see Jason's face hovering above her.

"Thank god you're all right! For one minute I thought- with the door open- like Gran- Ah Sook!" Jason mumbled, diving to embrace her.

"Really Jason, I'm fine, I was just asleep" Sookie reassured him, stroking his blonde hair.

"Why were you asleep on the floor in the hallway with the door wide open?" He said, helping her get to her feet.

"It- it doesn't matter" she said rubbing the bottom of her back. "You want a bite to eat?"

"Uh sure" he said, appraising her with his eyes.

She walked through to the kitchen as Jason shut the door and followed. He took a seat at the old dining table in the middle of the kitchen and began playing with the salt shaker.

"I came up to your place earlier" Sookie said, digging around in the refrigerator, pulling out some eggs, bacon and sausages.

"Yeah I know, I saw your note as soon as I got home, so I headed up here to see you." Jason said.

Sookie pulled out the frying pan and began frying her ingredients together. The smell and sizzling noise filled the kitchen with a pleasant feeling of a time when Gran would have been alive.

"I haven't seen you much since Jackson" Sookie said, flipping bacon.

"I've had a lot on my plate, I know that isn't an excuse" he said.

"What have you been doing?"

"I've been… helping some people"

"I heard off Terry the other day that you were training to be a cop with Andy. What happened with that?"

"Ah Sook, I messed it up. I fell in love"

"You fell in love?" Sookie gasped, turning to stare at him. Jason was still staring at the salt shaker in his hands, a look of despair on his face.

"Her name was Crystal Norris" Jason said.

"Was?"

Sookie pulled out some plates from the cupboard and started serving the food.

"She uh- took off… due to some… family… issues" Jason mumbled, picking up his cutlery and began tucking in.

Sookie set her plate across from him and went to the refrigerator to pour out two glasses of juice with ice. She passed Jason a glass and took her seat, half heartedly cutting her food. Across from her, Jason was already wolfing down his scorching eggs.

"She just took off did she?" Sookie said, nibbling on some sausage.

"Yeah, took my truck with her too, she needed it"

"You let her steal your truck!" Sookie gasped.

"Calm down Sook, she really needed it. Besides… it's more like a long term loan…" He said, avoiding contact and stabbing his fork into the meat.

"She sounds like a gold digger" Sookie mumbled.

"By the way, could you give me a lift home later?" Jason said. "I got Hoyt to drop me off on the way to Vampire Bill's big place."

"Sure" Sookie said, rolling her eyes, picking at her food.

They sat in silence as Jason began licking his plate and eating from Sookie's. She tried hard to keep her mind off Bill by listening in on Jason's thoughts.

"_-Hope she's all right. When I get my hands on that Felton scum I'm gonna give him what for, fucking __Were-pan-" _

"Well I'd better get going then Sook, sure you don't mind driving me?" Jason said.

"Jason, what's going on with this Crystal Norris? And why haven't I seen you for a while? What is she? A Were-something? Is she a Werewolf?" Sookie said.

Jason's face contorted with rage as he kicked back his chair and stood up.

"Gah! I told you to stay out of my head! It's personal!" He shouted.

"Jason! I don't want you getting mixed up with anything you can't handle!"

"This coming from you, getting fangbanged and beaten up on a daily basis!" Jason spat at her.

Sookie's face dropped as she stared at her brothers' face as it changed rapidly from anger to regret.

"Aw Sook, I'm real sorry." Jason said walking round the table to kneel by her. He grasped her soft hands in his and held them to his face. She twisted one of her hands to press it against his cheek.

"It's okay" Sookie whispered. "What is going on Jase?"

"Sookie, I got caught up in something real bad." Jason said slowly, trying to avoid her wide eyed gaze.

"How bad? Jason, tell me what's going on!" she protested.

"Well Crystal… She's a were-… she's a were-panther."

"A were-panther? Are you sure-"

"No, she isn't a wolf, she's a panther, I've seen it" Jason said, cutting Sookie off.

"And?..."

"Long story short, the guy who she was supposed to marry went crazy on V, shot her dad and took off in my truck with her."

"He what! Is that why Andy and the cops were up at Hotshot the other day! I heard they'd brought back a bag."

"Yeah, but she left me in a whole mess of trouble. There were about twenty or thirty people up there with only the clothes on their backs. I've been trying to figure out how to help them. It's what Crystal wanted" Jason sighed standing up and walking towards the sink to lean over it.

"I wouldn't know what to suggest, Jase." Sookie said, standing up to lean on the counter beside him. "I've got things going on too; I just needed my family right now. You're all I've got"

"Vampire troubles?" Jason said.

"Them and every other Supe around Bon Temps" She sighed. "You still want a ride home?"

"Sure" Jason smiled.

Sookie grabbed her purse and keys and she and Jason chatted breezily about Arlene and Terry's relationship, about Gran's house, about the passing of Uncle Bartlet and anything else that came to mind as she drove him to his house. When she pulled up outside, Jason kissed her once on the forehead and told Sookie to call him as soon as she got home. She waved out the open window and turned the car around. She sighed as she drove down a long country road with little light. She put her lights on full and sighed once more. The old digital clock on the dashboard said it was 12:37am. Sookie bit her lip as creeping thoughts about Bill's whereabouts and what he was up to, flooded her mind. Her heart sank as she imagined the touch of his cold skin upon her scorching skin on a hot night. She remembered his smile and his soft brown hair. She bit down even harder on her lip as she tried to stop the tears from coming. Bill's words clouded her mind, his voice exact;

"_I have and always will love you, even if you do not feel the same."_

At this, everything that was holding back the tears broke down and her emotions came flooding out.

"Bill" She sobbed, easing her foot off the accelerator.

Sookie looked up, her vision distorted by the tears; a flash of white seemed to be running on the road a few meters ahead.

"What the…" Sookie mumbled, rapidly wiping the tears from her face. As her car continued down the road, the shape of a man became clear only a few feet a head.

Sookie slammed on the breaks as hard she could; the car screeched along the road to a stop. Sookie lurched forward against the belt and back into the seat.

Only a few feet away from the car, Eric was stood, towering as ever. His blonde hair was slicked back as always, his piercing blue eyes were on Sookie. He was wearing black, his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

Sookie stared back at Eric before deciding to throw open the door and get out.

"Eric! What the fuck are you doing?" She shouted. "I almost ran into you!"

The corner of Eric's mouth turned up into a lopsided smile.

"It wouldn't have done much damage" He smirked.

"Maybe not you!" She snarled, pushing him hard in the chest. Of course, he didn't even sway, he stayed up straight.

"Ugh" she said, giving up and walking back to her car. Another flash of white and his massive cold hand was wrapped around her wrist.

"Eric! Get off!" she screamed. Eric was one of the only people who knew what she really was. And what was more dangerous, Eric was one of the only people who could benefit from what she really was.

"I have to talk to you," He whispered.

"I don't wish to talk to you! I meant what I said when I said get the fuck off my porch!" She snarled, tugging her arm to release his cold grip on her arm. Eric tightened his grip.

"Get off me you big dead freak!"

"Sookie, please! I need to talk to you!" Eric said, desperation in his voice. Sookie stopped tugging sand looked into his eyes. Worry flooded her.

"What about?"

"Not here" he said, his eyes shifting to either side of the road.

"My car?" Sookie said. Her gaze following Eric's.

"Your place" Eric whispered.

"No way Eric!" Sookie shouted.

Eric swiftly turned to her, fangs out.

"Go home now!" He said through clenched teeth. He let go of her wrist as she stood dumbfounded. Eric gave her a look as to suggest she do as he said and he took off into the woods like a blur.

Sookie slowly stepped back to the car and got inside. The engine was still running. She put down her foot and sped the way home. Something inside her told her she was once again tied up in something that wouldn't be easy to get out of.


End file.
